Monet’s House

If you’ve ever wondered what Impressionism looks like in the form of a house – a speculation that has probably never been a priority in your life – then you may have also wandered what Claude Monet’s house looks like. I mean, he’s practically the king of Impressionism as far as I’m concerned, and if his house doesn’t embody 19th century French painting, then I don’t know what does.

… these are the kinds of thoughts that go through my head on a regular basis…

I had been to Giverny twice, and on both occasions, photographs inside the house were strictly Forbidden, with a capital F. My friend Natalie and I would always try to be sneaky and take quick iPhone snaps, thinking we were so incognito; the photos pretty much always came out blurred and crappy. THANKFULLY – and this seriously made me so happy – they now allow you to take photos! Mais sans flash, bien sûr. I discovered this while my sister was visiting me last week, and we also discovered that the Musée de l’Orangerie and Musée d’Orsay allow photographs now too.  :O

So without further ado, take a peek inside Monet’s house:

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Favorite Things / French Californian

Favorite Things

Today I thought I’d do something different, and if we like it, I may continue this as a recurring feature. TONS of bloggers do a “favorite things” feature every week or month, so why shouldn’t I?  I had this idea while browsing through Society6. It’s a website that supports artists by turning their work into art prints, iPhone covers, pillows, rugs, shower curtains, clocks, mugs, and even tapestries. I’ve seen them start small and grow into something great! Because Society6 takes care of production, the artists have more free time to create. It’s perfect for me because I just can’t be bothered to find a quality photo printer, let alone fabricate iPhone covers myself!

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Travel Diary – Sweden

Our week-long trip to Sweden is winding down; tomorrow we head back to France via car, train, plane, and then another train.

This trip was essentially one big, continuous circle of fika, or coffee, sweet cakes, and light conversation. Of course, most of the time I didn’t have any idea what was being said, since I don’t speak Swedish! Knowing about five words – speedbump, frog, sausage, and beach – doesn’t get you very far in a real conversation.

I am in love with Swedish cakes, however. Nothing like texture of French pastries, the Swedes like softer things, much like their temperament. Sugar cake with a layer of butter in the middle, vanilla-cinnamon muffins with custard on the top, and cardamum rolls. They take their coffee strong, but not too strong. Not quite espresso, but way darker than the American cup o’ joe.

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